Automatic circuit breaker for electric key punches



S p 1927- w. w. LASKER AUTOMATIC CIRCUIT BREAKER FOR ELECTRIC KEY PUNCHES Filed" pril, 29,' 1925 gwuwntod iPatented Sept. 27, 192?.

'WILLE'ME W. LASKEB, OF BROOKLYN, COBIPGRATIDN,- $1 NEW fitUTOMATIC CIRCUIT EREAKEB YOK ELECTRIG KEY PUNCHES.

Application filed April 29, 1925. Serial No. 26,688.

The present invention relates to card-punching machines for perforating record cards in a redetermined manner, and relates more particularly to a circuit breaking1 electrically operating punch mec anisms.

Some of the objects of the ipresent invention are to provide means unctioning in conjunction with a travelin carriage electrically operated set-up mec anism tor card n punches to prevent the setup mechanism or any part thereof from operating during the return of the carriage after a set-up operation; to provide means for automatically rendering a control circuit or circuits for 35 a punch set-up ineffective at a predetermined time; to provide means controlled by the carriage return of'a key punch carriage for breaking the circuit which operates the punch set-up under operatin conditions; to provide means the circuit of a punch set-up control at the beginning of the return of the pin carriage, and to automatically close such circuit at the end of the return of the pin carriage;

and to rovide other improvements as will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of a portion of a punching machine showing one form of the present invention applied thereto; and Flg.

2 represents an end elevation of the same.

' Referring to the drawings; a bracket 10, forming a part of the mam frame of a key operated punching machine for perforating record cards, is shown having an angle'sup-, port 11 attached thereto tocarry a contact arm 12 and a contactor arm 13 which are insulated from each other by a strip of menlation 14 and from the support 11 by msulation. bushings 14. through which pass the mounting screws 15.- The'contact arm 121s of conducting material and forms with its contact 16 one termin lof a circuit of which the conductor 17 is a art. The contactor arm 13 is also of con ucting material and forms with its contactor 18 the other terminal of the same circuit and of which conductor 20 is a part. The two conductors 17 and 20 are preferably in the common return of the plurality of circuits which function respectively to selectively operate the setup mechanism of the punching machine. 7

As shown in Fig. 1 the circuit including the conductors 17 and 20 is closed at the contact 16 and the contactor 18, this means for for automatically breakingheing the normal condition when the punching machine is making a set-up for a punching operation. Generally considered, this type of card punching machine opcrates through the manual selection and op- 0o eration of keys which transmit motion to selecting pins respectively in a carriage which travels by a step by step movement across a set-up mechanism consisting of a bank of pins corresponding in number and .65 arran ement to the data positions on the record card. Those pins setup by the selecting pins of the moving carriage remain so set until all of the data positions for a card are set up and then'the punch key i'soperated so that all of the punches to be actuated.

are caused'to function. In the machine to which the fpresent invention has been applied by way of example the. keys of the keyboard are arranged ,to close electrical circuits so that' the movement of any selected key is .trans'mitted electrically to the selected pins of the movable carriage. Following its set .up movement the carriage is automatically returned to its initial position ready to again '80 .travel across the set-up mechanism as the key's'are operated for another'c'ard. This return of the carriage in the present instance is effected mechanically through the release of a link 21 by the disengagement of a latch bar, 22 froma pin 23. The latch bar 22 is pivoted at 24 tothe'bracket 10 and isnormally held in latching position by a spring 25interposed between a pin 26 of the bar 22 and a pin 27 of the bracket 10. The opposite to I 'end of the latch bar 22 is bifurcated as "shown at 28 to straddle a in 30 which is fast to the core 31 0f aso enoid 32. The

solenoid 32 is connected by conductors 33' and 34 to a control circuit which is arranged to be closed by the carriage return key of the punch keyboard. Whenthe carriage re- I turn ke is operated the circuit through the solenoi 32 is closed and the latter energized to rock the latch bar 22 against thetension of the spring 25 to release the link 21 for movement under the pull of a control spring 35. The movement of the link 21 simultaneouslyswings two arms 36 and 37 the for mer 36 being fixed to a rock shaft 38 by which the carriage return clutch is thrown in, while the letter 37 is fixed to areset shaft 40 by which the link 21 is returned for reen agement with the latch 22.

11 order to break the contact between the contactor 18 and the contact 16, the contactor arm 13 is extended, as shown at 41, beyond the arm 12 and into the path of a pick-up member 42 secured by a screw 43, or the like, to the link 21, the arrangement being such that the member 42 allows the contactor arm 13 to normally hold its contactor 18 in circuit closing position, but when the link 21is unlatched and released the contact will be broken so that the common return for all punch set up circuits will be interrupted during the entire time the carriage is making its return. In this way the possibility of any of the selecting pins of the carriage being actuated on the return movement to cause breakage and damage is entirely overcome.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that a complete unitary control has been provided for the actuating circuits of a punching machine whereb all such circuits are rendered ineffective uring the return of the set-up control carriage to its initial position. Also when the carriage has returned and before it can function to start a new set-up in the punch mechanism all the circuits are automatically closed at the point controlled by the contact 16 and the contactor 18. This leaves the circuits in operating condition so that when any key of the keyboard is operated, the circuit including that key will be closed to make a set-up for the operation of the-punch corresponding to the key operated. By the provision of an auxiliary break in the common return of all of the punch control circuits, which becomes effective during the return of the carriage, it will be evident that the depression of the keys of the keyboard during this returninterval will have no effect-upon the set-up mechanism.-

Otherwise the depression of keys during the carriage return would cause set-up pins to be projected while the carriage was running and serious damage would be the result.

While only a single form is shown in which this invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to any specific construction, but might be applied to, various forms without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: Y

1. In an electric punch mechanism, the combination. of a control circuit for controlling a punch mechanism on a movable carriage, and means for opening and maintainmg said circuit openon the return movement of said carriage.

,2. In an electric punch mechanism, the combination of a circuit return common-to a plurality of circuits for respectively controlling a punch mechanism on a movable.

carriage, and means for automatically opening and maintaining said common return gpen on the return movement of said cariage.

3. In an electric punch mechanism, the

combination of a control circuit for controlli'ng a punch mechanism on a movable carriage, and meansjncluding a carriage return device for opening said circuit during the return of said carriage. v i

5. In an electric punch. mechanism, the combination of a control circuit for control- .ling a punch mechanism on a movable carriage, and means including a solenoid actuated latch for opening said circuit during the return movement oi said carriage.

6. In an electric punch mechanism, the combination of a circuit return common to a plurality of circuits for respectively controlling a punch mechanism on a movable carriage, and means including a carriage return device for opening said return circuit during the return of said carriage.

Y 7. In an electric punch mechanism, the combination of a circuit return common to a plurality of circuits for respectively controlling a punch mechanism on a movable carriage, a reset lever for said punch mechanism, means for actuating said reset lever, and means operated by said reset lever for breaking said return circuit whereby said circuits are all open during the return movement of said carriage.

8. In an electric punch mechanism, the

in a path to shift said contactor and move it to break said return circuit, and means to actuate said lever to cause said shift'ineans to function whereby said circuits are main,- tained. open during the return of said carriage." v

Signed at Philadelphia, delphia,

day of April, 1925.

WILLIAM W. LA SKER.

county of Phila- State of Pennsylvania, this 20th 

